Kremlin: Western journalists not to get accreditation for Russian economic forum
On Saturday, the Kremlin announced that journalists from "unfriendly countries" would not be granted access to the St Petersburg International Economic Forum. This decision comes as President Vladimir Putin traditionally utilizes the event to present the Russian economy to global investors.
- Economy
- Reuters
- Published Date: 04:21 | 03 June 2023
- Modified Date: 04:23 | 03 June 2023
The Kremlin said on Saturday that journalists from "unfriendly countries" would not be allowed into the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, which President Vladimir Putin has used to showcase the Russian economy to global investors.
"It has indeed been decided this time not to accredit publications from unfriendly countries to the SPIEF," Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS, using the acronym for the forum which is held annually in Russia's former imperial capital.
"Interest in SPIEF is always great, all other journalists will work on the site," Peskov said. "Unfriendly countries" is a definition used by Moscow to describe those who have sanctioned it over the war in Ukraine.
Reuters' Moscow bureau was told by the organisers of the forum on Friday that accreditation for its journalists had been cancelled after receiving an earlier confirmation of accreditation on Thursday.
Reuters sought written clarification but none has been issued yet.
The Kremlin has repeatedly said it will not close "the window" to Europe which Tsar Peter the Great sought to open 300 years ago even though the West has imposed the most onerous sanctions in recent history over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.